why are they constantly comparing it to iphone/ipad? It's nothing like those systems and its not trying to be

£140 for a 3DS in the UK.

ALL gamers catered for........

Racers like Mario Kart, Kiddie games like Nintendogs, Hardcore games like Resident Evil: Revelations (and trust me, its FOOKING fantastic).

Looks to me like Ninty have all corners covered.

I see nothing but PAIN ahead for the Vita despite all the added bells and whistles.

I'd get this over Vita anyday.... can do more and thinner to carry around.

Seems a bit harsh, but I can't disagree with the problems.

£300 + to even start playing Uncharted on the Vita at launch is far too pricey.

The Vita will have a long, slow and hard first year IMO, until a price drop and/or killer SW and ads.

CNet are a technology site in general, not a gaming site. As such they were more focused on the technology of this thing than the gaming side. Which is why they gave it such props for its processor which beats out almost anything in the mobile space.

From the angle they view this thing from, it's probably both a fair comparison and a fair review. You would expect quite a different review from somewhere like IGN though.

Am I the only one who thinks it would have been wiser to compare it to the 3DS rather than an I phone, considering they are the ones closest in kin?

That did not change my mind i was not going to get it anyway!

3 out of 5 sounds fair to what he explained, however I disagree with i-pod touch comparison. they are made for 2 different kinds of people!

i predicted in the ballpark of a year ago that both the 3DS and the vita would sell less then their predecessors.  i see no reason to change my mind yet.  i'll still get a vita though.

Decent hardware review mixed with an inappropriate analysis of Vita vs iPads/Smart devices I'd say. They are completely ignoring the correct demographic view and that aspect of their review is useless to a truly interested buyer.

The 3DS has sold terrifically since the right games arrived - games I don't think you'd be playing on iPad or smartphones and the same will hold true for the Vita.

I get where they were coming from but it was inappropriate for the device. Instead of giving a proper evaluation of the Vita for its designed purpose they got sidetracked into something analogous with reviewing a DVD player but wondering if you wouldn't be better with Netflix.

..... I'm pretty sure you don't know what the word niggling means. If you couldn't put it in print in the US it would truly be a sad day for the American education system. 

People still seem to be commenting on the review without having read it. There are PLENTY of comparisons to the 3DS in the review. They also compare it to other devices that can be used for gaming. They even point out that the PS Vita is better for dedicated gaming than those devices. But that casual users really may not care too much about this. 

I mean seriously Sony states they aren't competing with Nintendo, then adds things like apps to the Vita and people complain that it is getting compared to Smartphones and ipads...... Well Sony has positioned itself in such a way as to draw those comparisons. It and the iphone are in a similar marketing space. Just the iphone skews more towards casual, multiple purpose device and the Vita skews more towards gaming.